


Remember

by barresia



Category: Coco (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Feels, Disney, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Gen, Memory Loss, Pixar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 01:04:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20857673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barresia/pseuds/barresia
Summary: Héctor is saved from the Final Death, but something feels off. He doesn't remember how he was saved and the lingering feeling of forgetting something really important settles in his mind.





	Remember

Ever since Héctor had awoken, he didn't feel like he was here.

Well, not exactly. He was all here in bones, both physically and in the thoughts of his family. Part of him tried to convince himself it was just a side effect of being almost forgotten. Yet at the same time…

Something was missing.

There was a cold, lingering sting that settled where his heart would’ve been. It never left him after he had escaped the Final Death, like something he loved had been ripped away from him.

He couldn't recall what.

One night he caught Coco staring right at him, as if she was trying to recall or figure out something about him. Imelda shot him a concerned glance as she too was concerned about Coco’s strange behavior. When he asked what's wrong she only shook her head and said:

“I'm not sure. It seems I'm forgetting something, don't know what.”

Of course, a part of his fatherly instinct thought it had something to do with Coco’s fading memory back when she was alive.

Somehow he knew it wasn't.

And that scared him.

He asked Imelda if she remembered how he was saved from the final death after Coco had said those words. As the brilliant and fierce woman she was, he could tell that his question caught her off guard. She tapped her foot in place, her brow ridge lowered.

“How were you saved? I…I thought that la familia found you and before you were forgotten. Coco saved you, correct?”

Héctor stroked his beard. “_Sí_, that what I thought. But it doesn't add up. How would Coco know I was being forgotten? What would've triggered her to suddenly remember me and then I'm fine?”

“I.." Imelda started, “I'm not sure. As far as I know, no one was extremely close her except for Elena.”

Héctor shook his head. “But she wouldn't _dare_ mention my name to her.”

Imelda nodded. “She wouldn't. Elena _always_ played by the rules. So then—”

“—_how_, right?" Héctor finished.

Imelda raised her hand to her forehead. “_Ay_, you're on to something, Héctor.” She paused, walking over to him. She took ahold of Héctor’s hands, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “Mi amor, I _promise_ you we will figure this all out in the morning. You have your family here to help you.”

Héctor finally raised his gaze to meet hers. He would've felt immediately at ease if it wasn't for the strange tightening in his chest. He offered a strained smile, as they both moved in to close the distance between.

“I..I'm going to go fiddle with my guitar for awhile.”

Imelda sighed, “Ay, alright. But you better come back safe and sound before I have my lights shut out. Otherwise I'm sending Pepita out to drag you in.”

Héctor shuddered at the image at being at such heights again or being flung around like a toy. “Sí. ¡_Sí_ mi amor!” Héctor exclaimed, waving his straw and grabbing for his version of his beloved guitar that his family had left for him on Dia de Muertos. “I _promise_ I won't be too long!”

Héctor lied.

He was _very_ well past his curfew.

He ran his fingers over the guitar strings. Looks like music and him are in trouble again. He smiled, tapping his boney fingers against the guitar.

“I guess we could go for one more song, eh?”

He glided his fingers down the guitar and took a shuttery breath.

“Remember me”

“Though I have to travel far”

“Remember me”

“Don't let it make you cry”

“For even if I'm far away, I hold you in my heart.”

“I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart”

“Remember me—_I'm lost_”

“_So lost_”

Héctor’s eyes immediately shot open at new voice that joined in with his singing.

“_Will I be able to see the sky”_

“_Again_?”

He scanned the area as his eyes just barely missed the faint outline of a person glowing slightly in an orange aura.

“_Oh please_”

“_One more day_”

“_Wishing_”

“_Praying_”

“_Won't someone allow this shadow of a boy”_

“_To see_”

“_One more day?_”

With each word, did the aura grow stronger. He could make out a boy wearing a red hoodie, strumming a guitar.

_His guitar._

His back was faced towards him, so Héctor couldn't get a good look at his face. He didn't need to.

For some reason, he felt like he's met this boy before.

“_Remember_”

“_Remember_”

“_Please remember who I used to be”_

“_Who am I?”_

“_Who am I?”_

“_I'm a puppet in their game”_

Something in his chest tightened. He had this strange instinct to reach forward and cradle the boy, as if he were his own son.

“_Dreaming of a life I never had.”_

Surely he wasn't dead.._right_? The song he was singing, it was a complete opposite of his lullaby to Coco.

“_Who am I?_”

“_Who_ _am I?"_

“_My reality had slipped away_”

Héctor raised his own hand to his face. _No_, that wasn't right. He _absolutely_ knew this kid. He held him with his own two hands, shushed him when something was wrong.

So when the boy finally raised his focus from his guitar to meet his own, it took all of Héctor’s will not to reach forward. The boy’s brown eyes were wide, mirroring his own.

Héctor gulped, opening his mouth only to find nothing to come out. He tried once more.

“_Who_ are _you_?”

The boy’s surprise shifted. He contorted his lips into an awkward, toothy smile, but his cheeks were not so compromising.

Héctor raised a shaky hand towards him. “_Please_, a name. I _know_ you from somewhere.”

The boy seemed to hesitate for a second before raising his smile into a smirk. Héctor doesn’t mistaken the sadness settled in his gaze that betrays the playful smirk, brown too glossy.

“You don’t remember my _name_? Thanks a lot, _Papá Héctor_!”

Héctor’s heart swelled and then it plumented

Héctor. _Papá _Héctor.

They’re related?

“I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. I had to fulfill a promise.”

Promise.

_Miguel, it’s almost sunrise!_

_No-nonono I can’t leave you! I promised I’d put your photo up. I promised you’d see Coco!_

_We’re both out of time, mijo._

_No! Papá Héctor, Please!_

_I promise, I won’t let Coco forget you!_

Oh. Oh no.

What happened that night?

Miguel.

_Miguel_.

What did you do?

Héctor launched himself forward, attempting to grab any part of Miguel. He _had_ to be alive.

_Please_.

Confirming his fears, he passed right through him. The aura around the boy sparkled for a few seconds before returning to its normal glow. Héctor’s mouth hung with lips slightly parted and his eyes were as wide as they could stretch. He stared at his own two hands, shaking his head in disbelief as soft “nos” escaped his lips.

“_Why_?” Héctor croaked out, salty tears dripping off his chin.

Someone took Héctor’s hands into his own, causing him to shift his attention on them. It was like staring at a mini version of himself, of Coco.

“It’s what you and Mamá Imelda taught me, Papá Héctor.”

“Family comes first.”

Those words made Héctor’s heart shatter all over again. While _yes_, family does come first, this wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

That’s not what he and Imelda met by “family comes first.”

To have Miguel put himself in front of him to ensure he awoken in both Imelda’s and Coco’s arms _terrified_ him. To be surrounded by such an amazing family who have supported him for months now while Miguel spent his days _alone_. Héctor shivered.

What kind of price was Miguel forced to make in order to bring him back from such an unavoidable fate?

What kind of pain has he gone through?

Héctor can only remember scraps of the boy, he doesn’t know how he’s related to him. He wants to so desperately. It’s a struggle just to remember the name.

“Why?” Héctor asked, “_Why_ is it _so_ hard to remember your name? Your face?”

Héctor burned for an answer. He needed to know. Everything on Miguel’s face told Héctor that it wasn’t good. Miguel hesitated for a moment, biting his lip.

“I agreed to take your place in the Final Death.”

An icy chill ran down Héctor’s spine. _Please_ be lying. _Please_ be a joke.

“So when I fully disappear, no one will remember me. There won’t be any “_me_” to remember. For all the power La Muerte possesses, she can’t even keep one piece of the memory called “_Miguel_” connected.”

No.

_No_.

He wouldn’t allow it.

He’d find an impossible way to keep that from happening.

His Papá Héctor would find a way to bring him home again.

**Author's Note:**

> Whew! I whipped up this story now that I had a little bit of free time. I hope it doesn't looked to rushed, since this was a really fun short AU to write. It tore my heart into pieces though! D:
> 
> Thank you for reading! Your Kudos and Comments are always appreciated. <3


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